Microsoft says Windows is on just 14% of devices, needs to "rethink" its business

The number that is usually tossed around when it comes to Windows is that the platform is on over 90% of PCs. But, PCs have become a minority in the computing world with the rise of mobile, and especially Android. So, that number doesn't really work anymore. Microsoft has come out with a more accurate number, saying that Windows is now found on just 14% of devices in the world.

The admission came from Microsoft's COO Kevin Turner at the Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in Washington, D.C.. Turner said that Microsoft and its partners need to adopt a "challenger mindset", because the world is changing and Windows is not the dominant platform anymore. Turner also said:

The reality is the world’s shifted, the world’s evolved. We now measure ourselves by total device space. We have a much bigger opportunity than we’ve ever had in the past to grow our business, but we have to rethink how we look at our business.

Obviously, Microsoft is still confident that it can pivot and regain ground in the overall device market. As we've covered, there are plans for Windows 9 (aka Threshold) to appease desktop users by backing off of the Metro UI, and make mobile devices more consistent by focusing more on Metro there instead of the traditional desktop. Additionally, plans to merge Windows Phone and RT should come along well as more universal apps are built. Turner knows it could be a slow process, and is hoping to "go from 14% to 18%, from 18% to 25%, from 25% to 30%", and to do better to differentiate Microsoft products from the competition.

True PC gaming is still unmatched
IMO MS should be doing more for PC Gaming
Steam has basically been doing all the work for MS
Unfortunately I doubt MS will do much for PC Gaming since they are struggling to keep up with Sony

Also many types of work will still be done on Windows/Mac, since tablets aren't as ideal for things like word docs, video editing, CAD, programming,...

I have been saying this for years, Microsoft needs to focus more on their Windows os for PCs.No matter how powerful mobile devices become,they will always have less power than a non-mobile device,since they ll always have to rely upon the limited battery and space,so there will always be better apps on the PC. But instead MS is wasting their time on WP(thats just my opinion) and cloud and making hardware.They have to understand that soon or they ll lose all the leverage they have left.For example, steam is now on linux and mac too. Steam Machines are also based on linux. In fact, most pc users are using windows just because they are more "familiar" with it and because of a bit better support and compatibility too, but that could change in a very small time.
And to people saying,what else MS can do,well its Microsoft's job to think about it,but i can give a few simple opinions.First they need to bring back the start menu(i know about apps like "poki" but customers shouldn't have to do that much work).Second, there are still a lot of bugs in windows 8,i won't go into details but some of them are quite annoying. If they can merge all the xbox and pc games,that ll be sweet too. More customization options(not everybody likes or need a flat UI).More optional SW for powerful configurations.I can give a lot more examples,but if MS wants to lure more customers to their OS they ll have to think of even more than that. If they dont do it soon,the only thing they ll be able to sell is the xbox(and there too they ll have a tough competition from Sony) and the fee they collect from their patents.
As always, everything mentioned above is just my opinion.

Smartphones is where its at, so how could MS be wasting their time with WP?.. It's an intuitive OS, its aesthetically pleasing, it's very stable, it's feature capable, the apps are fine for the average consumer, there's a good selection of awesome hardware at different prices points, it has terrific synergy with PC, and it just keeps getting better with every update, which there are very many,, almost 20 in 16 months.....
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It's established that WP is very good for the average consumer.. Not perfect, like any other OS, but very good, and it has its advantages... Most likely anyone who has used WP8.1 would know this, and those who haven't lived with a WP8.1 device wouldn't have a clue, or trust it over iDroid....... Which brings me to the main point that WP's main issue is MARKETING, and AWARENESS... For all the things you may think that WP fails at the average consumer doesn't give a flip about.. It's popularity that's WP's problem... If WP was marketed seriously more extensively, as Apple, and Samsung do, it's market share would be well around 10% by now.. For those seeking a fluid, quality, experience,, WP should be the go to device besides an iPhone, especially for older people who may not be as I tune, or care about every little feature that smartphones have to offer..... This is where MS continues to drop the ball.. MARKETING !!.. Do you really think people choose iPhones over Android because the iPhone is actually better? Android over WP because it's better?.. If you do then you're fooling yourself.. Most of these iPhone/Android users don't know what's better, or not, and any enthusiasts on sites like these are the minority..... It's because of popularity... MARKETING, AWARENESS, word of mouth, seriously brain washing if you want to call it so.... All of that doesn't define what's good, or bad.... MS really needs to improve WP MARKETING IMMENSELY!! At that point when WP is marketed correctly, and it becomes more popular, and widespread, people like yourself will see value in it... That's just the way it works!.. MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING!!!!!
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Apps are a side effect of popularity, so marketing is the root cause... MS needs to focus on MARKETING first, and everything else will easily come second!
That, you can take to the bank, my friend.
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But, you could be right!!.. If MS doesn't come up with the most relentless marketing campaign that the world has ever seen then WP will be a "waist of time"""... To be honest MS isn't every going to give up on WP, so I won't say it "would've" been a waist of time, rather it won't ever be what its capable of being,, in terms of market share... But, understand that it has what it takes... Nevertheless, I'm not sure if MS's marketing department will ever have what it takes... We'll see.

Wow...either u dint read my post or u misunderstood terribly...The whole time i was talking about desktop based OS(windows 8, etc.).I only said one thing about wp being a wastage and I clearly pointed out that that was my opinion.I am entitled to it,aren't I?
And so i disagree with a lot of things u said. In my opinion(again, mine) wp looks hideous,far less capable compared to android or even ios,and is likely gonna play catch up with other os's through its whole lifetime.
Another thing u mentioned that it has enough apps for the average consumer.Well if that consumer can get a better arsenal of apps on another os in that same price point,then why should that person settle for anything less? People choose ios or android over wp because they ARE better.If u dont believe that then you are the one fooling yourself.
And Microsoft has done enough marketing for wp.More than Apple or Google.
Now dont get me wrong.I love MS and wish them success.But they have lost their way.Like Bill Gates says,they should focus more on their desktop platform,since they are a software company first.Since his departure they made some very bad decisions. I hope with his return,we will see better work from them.
Again,what i say is my opinion only. You like wp and i dont. We have different opinions. Nothing wrong with that.

So, what's W8 lacking that would make it more "PC Centric" in your book?... I don't understand what you mean, or what can be done to make it more PC Centric...
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Removing things won't help because if it only takes that then it already has what it needs.. It's configurable to boot in desktop mode, so if you don't like the modern start screen then you don't have to every see it... I really don't understand what you mean. Can you me some ideas so that I might have a better understanding of what some of yall are talking about?

You're nothing but a trolling idiot. BlackBerry wasn't even mentioned in this article, and yet here you go mentioning them. It must really excite your little boy nether region to mention BlackBerry, as you do it every chance you get. You sound like a pimply faced school boy with a crush on the high school hottie, always saying her name, even when she's not around.

Windows is on 14% OF the TOTAL mobile computing devices. That INCLUDES smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, etc. That would make them #2 in the world in terms of this. How is that failing? You really need to get a life or a job or both, considering all you do is troll.

You need to learn to read and do REALITY_CHECK before opening your mouth.

the first post say "MOST APPS FOR MOBILES ARE CREATED IN PC/WINDOWS". It talks about mobile/smartphone apps. Not PC apps.

and I said, it's depend on the platform.
iOS apps is mainly created in iOS
android apps can be created in iOS, Linux & Windows. Although most google employee use Linux & iOS.
Only (both of) the failing platform use ONLY Windows to create the apps.

I replied to you, not the "first post." All those lines written by me are counterarguments to your line of reasoning.

Google employees are not the only ones making apps for Android. It includes independent developers too.
BB apps can be created using both Windows and Mac OS'
WP apps can be created on Windows and Mac (using VM or just running W8 natively using boot camp).

Linux is where most games are made. But most apps are designed in windows. While most videos/music is made on a MAC. All 3 can do either but guess it's just the personality that usually matches with one. Game designers need a stable and non-resource hog OS like Linux. App makers just need a Stable enough OS with a lot of flexibility and Driver support like Windows. Music/Video producers aren't really into tech so they need something that "Just works" like MAC OSX.

the first post say "MOST APPS FOR MOBILES ARE CREATED IN PC/WINDOWS". It talks about mobile/smartphone apps. Not PC apps.

and I said, it's depend on the platform.
iOS apps is mainly created in iOS
android apps can be created in iOS, Linux & Windows. Although most google employee use Linux & iOS.
Only (both of) the failing platform use ONLY Windows to create the apps.

I disagree... You care about innovation, but you aren't the average consumer... What else influences the majority to buy a certain product?... You need to change your thinking... You need to think outside of these tech sites... This is not reality..
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I think Microsoft has a real chance to increase its Windows market share if they focus on a pc-centric OS for mobile(I.e.-WinPro on a mobile phone, as opposed to what's currently being used, the WinPhone OS). They do need to refine WinPro8, even though I love it, but I'm in the minority here, I suppose. S. Nadella has some very interesting ideas of where he wants to take MS, and I like them. I think he can definitely get this "on 14% of devices" number to increase.

The fact that they are second, and have aggressive plans to do better means that they will continue in at least second for the foreseeable future... Not that market share makes them better, but as far as looking at numbers it's worth mentioning.

It's a pretty good report, and it just goes to show that times do change... This report should really make naive, self righteous, fans of other OS's open their minds to the fact that times will always change... Nobody, nothing, no place remains on top forever... And, the mobile market WILL shift once again...

Totally agree with you here. Take a look at my former favorite OS Symbian, for example. They were on top for more than a decade, but was displaced by Android. There are a lot of people that think that the current way that the OS's are arranged in terms of market share will always remain so, and that's totally not true. Things can change in what seems like a blink of the eye in mobile.

Anyone remember DEC or Burroughs or NCR? They were large companies which dominated the computer industry, but ignored the changing market brought about by the personal computer, of which Microsoft was a forerunner. It's not without irony that Microsoft and Intel now finds themselves in the same position as those companies, most of which do not exist anymore or, if they do, hardly as they were, unable to adapt to a changing market because they refused to out of hubris. And, when they acknowledged their mistake it was too late, much like Microsoft and Intel. They may survive and pull it through, but hubris put them in a deadly state.

This has nothing to do with MS failing... What makes you View it like that?... MS is doing great.. The market has just changed, and PC's don't dominate anymore... Nothing to panic about... MS is on the upside, that's really all that matters.

Again, you're trolling BlackBerry, which definitely has an eye towards the future, as evident in its recent ER. With all of their latest investments as late, IoT, healthcare, etc, I'd say they are keenly headed towards a bright future.

The only thing wrong here is that PA hasn't banned you yet for your constant trolling.

Is it wrong to have a different oppinion? Should I ONLY follow your oppinion? This is not a minion forum, when the master say "ahh", the minion say "ahh". You and your minion can sing kumbaya, but I don't care.

The only reason that PA not banned me, because I did nothing wrong. ON THE OTHER HAND. YOU DID!!! You ONLY want people AGREE with you. You were trolling, and FORCING me to AGREE with you.

I'm not FORCING you to do anything. And I'm DEFINITELY not trolling. I don't go on every Android or iOS or WP8 article and say that they suck, they should die or that they should close up shop. You go on EVERY BLACKBERRY ARTICLE and repeat the same, tired rhetoric over and over and over again. A difference of OPINION is one thing. You just come and spew hate, with either NOTHING AT ALL to back up your claims, or info from 2013 and earlier which is irrelevant at this point. And even when your presented with FACTS, you still try and refute them, saying idiotic things like "JC do magic accounting trick".

You're a TROLL, plain and simple. You want everyone to agree with you that doesn't, to the extent that you now troll WP articles and bring BlackBerry even when THEY'RE NOT MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE AT ALL. That's TROLLING. I've NEVER been banned by PA, because I don't TROLL. Unlike YOU.

They don't need to rethink their business, they need to rethink their OS. Some aspects of WP are good. It's butt-ugly (subjective) and too different from iOS or Android for many people to consider changing. iOS users won't change because they're too used to iOS and are already heavily invested in iOS apps and games, and Android users won't change because WP offers practically zero customizability options, at least compared to Android.

What does WP have to offer for iOS and Android users? Smooth operation on lower specs? Only applies to those in need of something cheap like a 520/1 or 635. Excellent cameras? Only a small fraction might be swayed to change OS' to something like a Lumia 1020. Everybody knows iPhones take excellent photos despite having "only" 8mp, and Android users will usually be happy with the cameras on their Samsung, LG, Sony, and even HTC (the UltraPixel camera takes perfectly good pics, if all you need is to post them on FB).

The clunky, endlessly scrolling interface of WP, combined with the poor/late app selection, means that very few people will switch from iOS or Android, and new smartphone buyers are unlikely to choose WP everybody they know has an iPhone or Android.

An article from earlier today is about how the Lumia 520/1 is the best selling MS phone of all time (all Microsoft, not just WP). Why is that? Because it's cheap, and it works. Obviously, that's a winning combination. The Moto G and Moto E are good examples of that too.

But "works" and "cheap" is not a winning combination for an OS or entire line of phones. I know a couple people with the 521 (the T-Mobile version of the 520). They effing HATE IT. One got one because it was all he could afford at the time. The other, despite me telling him to buy a Galaxy Light off eBay like I did, got one because he doesn't have a debit card and only had Best Buy credit, so the 521 was all he could afford.

And neither of them would buy a high-end WP if they had the money. The first wants a Note 3 more than anything, and the other wants an iPhone. Neither of them like the WP interface, nor the lack of apps/games.

This is MS's problem with WP. They have a product that few people want. They have a catch-22 with the 3rd party app developers not wanting to bother developing for a small customer base, and the lack of apps causing few people to switch to WP and increase that customer base. WP brings very little to the table compared to Android and iOS. While the 520 and 1020 have carved their small little niches here and there, it's not enough to save this OS, even with a company as huge as MS behind it. Maybe things are different elsewhere, but in the US, people aren't camping overnight to wait in line for the next Lumia. They're not wishing their contract didn't have 8 more months on it so they could switch to a 930, they want the new Galaxy S5.

Compared to Android and Iphone how many WP commercials and comparable marketing have you seen. Microsoft makes great products its their execution that sucks not the product. WP OS is a superior platform. Looking at Android and iOS its clear they are mimicking WP UI experience.

Sucking to me is factory resetting Android devices and your information can still be compromised.

"WP OS is a superior platform. Looking at Android and iOS its clear they are mimicking WP UI experience."

What are you smoking, and where can I get some? iOS's latest "innovations" are copying Android, so are WP's.

Fact: If you were so (perversely) inclined, an Android phone owner could install a custom launcher and make his phone look and operate like WP. Fact: The opposite is impossible. And he'd still be limited by the craptacular app selection and other customizability options that WP doesn't offer.

You saying that you install a custom launcher and have the same experience as WP shows that you are the one thats smoking something, maybe its stupidity. Android new content over chrome post Skeuomorphism UI called Material UI is something ripped right out the page of WP UI. They even adopted the three dot menu that was exclusive to WP which BB then copied. You guys are nothing but hypocrites you bash what your fav OS copies. For Christ sakes "One Android" even looks and Mimics WP one experience.

Microsoft's desktop OS offers essentially no benefits to the customer other than backward compatibility with various business apps and games. Other than this, it is engineered to actively work against the customer, screwing them over every way Microsoft can imagine.

When it comes to mobile, WP is basically just a tired clone of some old version of iOS. Limited, closed, and uninspiring. Other than "live tiles", WP is known for an awkward UI that emphasizes giant fonts and endless scrolling lists of items that look the same. To this malaise let us add a serious lack of phone hardware choice, lack of apps, and a lack of OS extensibility and customization. And for the cherry on top, WP is so riddled with Microsoft spyware, it's hard to tell what is spyware and what is the OS.

Pretty much most of what Microsoft does sucks. The most profound difference between now and a decade ago is that mobile has taken off big time and Microsoft missed the boat. So Microsoft cannot easily rely on their monopoly power (desktop, office apps, business infrastructure) to force the market to stick with their offerings.

The plain simple truth of the matter is that the world would be better off without Microsoft. And pretty much nothing can change this, other than a complete reinvention of the company.

I think it's a little harsh to say that "the world would be better off without Microsoft". They have brought many a useful thing into fruition, you yourself naming desktop, office apps and business infrastructure. Where would the desktop be without MS? Who would be bringing such useful office apps, Apple? Google? Their office-like offerings are a joke.

It's true, Microsoft did miss the boat in mobile. Ballmer conceded as much during his "outgoing" speech to his former employees. But to say the world would be better without MS? We would just lose one more option, and pretty good one at that, where MS is strong at. Businesses rely heavily on what MS has to offer. You think Apple could do what MS has done in the business sector? They would just be looking for someone to copy. Google? They cannot be trusted with sensitive information. I think MS serves a purpose. It's just mobile is where they are having a tough time competing, the mobile phone space being the primary. No one can match MS's desktop OS. Not Apple. Not Google. No one. If they were to get together with all of their hardware partners and do a concentrated effort in marketing their tablet offerings, I think we would see a very different looking tablet space.

I don't agree with the last paragraph of yours, at least when it comes to smartphones. Competition breeds innovation; without competition, innovation becomes stagnant. The rivalry between iOS and Android has made both of them better. Just like PC vs Mac, AMD vs Intel, Nike vs Reebok, etc. Competition means better products for the customers, because customers always want what's better.

I've said on many occasions that I WANT WP to succeed. I want it to get better. I want it to become an important part of the market, rather than a side-note. If they can bring something that can actually compete to Apple and Google, then that can only mean that their competitors must get better to compete. But WP isn't competing. They're barely hanging on. ONE phone is keeping them a "significant" part of the market - the 520. Without the 520, their marketshare would be far less then the minimal fraction they're hanging on to. And it's a pitiful device. No camera flash, no FF camera, etc. It's a phone that people don't want, but it's the best they can afford. The Moto E is a better choice, even though it has many of the same disadvantages.

WP needs to bring something new to the table, and barring that, they at least need to keep up, which they aren't doing.

Yeah, I hate WP. Not because it sucks (which it does), but because they're backed by a company with practically unlimited resources to innovate and compete, yet it still sucks.

Good response. I wouldn't use the word "sucks", at least in relation to Microsoft. I would say they have failed to capitalize or innovate when it's so obvious that they are capable of innovation. Especially in terms of WinPro. Now with WP, that's a different story. I think MS needs to loosen up on the restrictions a little more, allow for more customization. And if the devs for first party, quality apps won't come, then they should use their vast resources to have 3rd party app developers like the maker of 6tag to create viable, third party alternatives. 6tag is an excellent 3rd party Instagram app, superior to the original.

"Yeah, I hate WP. Not because it sucks (which it does), but because they're backed by a company with practically unlimited resources to innovate and compete, yet it still sucks."

Microsoft has made most of their products either by outright stealing the ideas/IP from others, or by using their "embrace, extend, extinguish" strategy.

It is a good thing to want competition in a market. I think it is wishful thinking to think that Microsoft would offer such. Microsoft is a crooked evil company that the world really would be better off without. We need many more companies to evolve the tech world, not a few big companies dividing things up so they can all screw the customer using monopoly power.

In short, in the fields once poisoned by monoculture, let a thousand flowers bloom.

That's right. Microsoft betting on the wrong trend. They thought people will love the trend (Metro/Modern Interface). When they hear negative comment, they bought the press to love it. This is balmer biggest mistake. After they got positive feedback, they got confident and release it to the public. As it turn out, when user need to vote with user own money (not bribed), they won't choose the ugly interface of just box scrolling up and down.

After a while, Microsoft is now EQUAL to CHEAP. The same as what happened to bb.

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